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Thread: Dreaded EWS issues after battery swap

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    Portland, OR
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    1997 BMW 528i

    Dreaded EWS issues after battery swap

    Hey All - After a battery swap yesterday the ole E39 started up and ran for about 5 min while I cleaned up and put away my tools. I shut her down and went into the house only to find that she would not restart when I wanted to go back to work... When I say no start, I mean so solenoid click and no starter. So no crank/no start.

    After about 8 solid hours of research I've come to the conclusion that I must have gotten my EWS system out of sync. Not completely sure but will be asking for this to be checked first when I have it towed to the shop.


    So my question is: What could I have done to prevent this? I waited the 16 min for sleep mode before removing the battery terminals. I took extra care to make sure nothing was shorted.... I feel like I was pretty careful but not careful enough.

    I have loved the car up until now. Now I just like it a lot.

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    What do you mean by "battery swap"?

    Does this mean that your original battery was replaced with another new or used battery? If so, why did you "swap" the battery? Where you getting a battery check light? Or did your other battery die on you?

    Did you recheck your work...like make sure that the battery cables are tight on the battery posts?

    Sorry for asking seemingly simple questions...but since we weren't there to see what you did and why you did it...it wasn't clear as to why or what you actually did.
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    The first thing you need to do is properly diagnose the problem. Searching the internet and then pointing a finger at the mysterious box full of black magic isn't the way.

    What happened, why did you change the battery?

    What model E39?

    What is the current battery system voltage?

    Do the headlights and such light up properly?


    I'm with Q on it most likely not being the EWS. The system isn't that fragile.


    /.randy

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    If it were an EWS issue you will pull a code for a sync issue. Have it read and don't throw parts at it. Could be a cam or crank sensor. They do fail instantly.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    Portland, OR
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    1997 BMW 528i

    More info

    Sorry about not leaving the back story – Here it is:
    • Old battery was 8 years old.
    • Car started cranking slowly is what tipped me off to its condition.
    • No battery check light at any time.
    • Opened trunk with doors closed but unlocked and waited for the car to go into sleep mode. Park light had turned off. Removed the Positive and negative terminals and lifted old battery out taking care not to short anything.

    Went to Auto Parts store and had the battery load tested. It failed. I purchased a new battery that was equivalent. (Excide L5/49E108 Extreme Battery 900CCA/1080CA - RESERVE MIN = 185 - EXIDE GLOBAL EXTREME)
    • Installed battery again taking care to not hookup to wrong terminals and installed the vent.
    • Posts and connectors were both cleaned and tight.
    • Car started and I let it run for 10 min while I cleaned up.
    • Once I finished cleaning I shut it off, locked it, and went inside for lunch. Came back out and unlocked with remote, jumped in the car, and it wouldn’t crank. Figured that I hadn’t let it get above idle and the new battery didn’t charge enough during my 10 min cleanup session. Waited another 16 min and disconnected and then put a battery charger on the battery. Took off for work in the GF’s car and came home to a charged battery which I then hooked up.

    Since then, I’ve had no engagement of the starter solenoid, nor has the starter engaged. I have tried leaving it overnight disconnected, connecting it with the key in the Run position, as well as disconnecting the battery and touching the B+ and ground leads in the car together. I have also tried both sets of keys that I have. All of this has no effect to my starting problem. Scanning it with a OBDII scanner shows no codes. I have triple checked everything.

    • Current B+ 12.6v
    • E39 97 528i – Vehicle Code DD63, Production Date 1996/10, Auto Trans, M52 engine
    • Everything lights up brightly.
    Last edited by BeaverCountry; 05-22-2012 at 07:17 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Okay.

    I'm not sure if a 97 will show an EWS problem on the OBDii code side or not, so that is inconclusive.

    Have you wiggled the crap out of the shifter? If you have a scanner, it may show the transmission range.

    In case you haven't found it, Wiring Diagrams.


    /.randy

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    1997 BMW 528i

    Update

    Have wiggled the shifter - The gear it is in matches what it's displaying in my OBDII tool when I view "current vehicle data".

    Newest development is that one of the Mulit-meters I used to check the B+ is reading several volts too high... Damn you cheap craftsman DMMs. The battery had dropped below 12v at some point so I have stuck it back on the charger. It has charged for a solid 8 hours and was still taking a 6 amp charge from my battery charger this morning so I fear it could possibly be related to the new battery. I've also started checking using the Test #9 method just to make sure the second DMM I'm using is correct.

    I also tried this test suggested on Bimmerforums.co.uk:

    1. A valid key will unlock the doors if they are deadlocked when you try to start the car. To test-

    - Wind the drivers window down
    - from outside the car, use the key to deadlock the doors
    - reach into the car and try to unlock them from the inside (to confirm they really are deadlocked)
    - place key in ignition switch and try to start car, if the key is recognized the doors will unlock (obviously if the car starts then you haven't proved anything, only if the starter motor fails to turn but the doors unlock will it confirm the key/EWS is OK and the problem lies elsewhere).

    2. If the car is a manual, as long as the key is recognized you should be able to bump start the car. Obviously for this test you need to try the key in the ignition until the starter motor doesn't work, then without turning the ignition off try and bump start the car. If it starts then the key is being recognized.

    These two tests only confirm if the key is being recognized. If they fail, it does not necessarily mean the key is not being recognized, the fault may still lie eleswhere.
    In my test, the key did unlock the doors so I'm starting to doubt my EWS diagnosis and move back to the battery. Car is an auto so the second test doesn't apply.

    Will further check this afternoon and will update.

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Check your meter against a working car.


    The jumpstart posts under the hood are a good place to test.


    /.randy

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    What is the battery voltage reading you get from doing OBC TEST 9?

    If it is showing lower than 11.89 volts...then the new battery is below 0% state of charge and could very well be the reason the car isn't starting.

    If you can get the car started after recharging the new battery...keep an eye on it by using OBC TEST 9 to check the battery's voltage BEFORE you start the car or a few hours after shutting down (this allows the depletion any surface charge generated by the alternator). If the new battery keeps showing voltage below 12 volts...then you have a good reason to return that battery in exchange for another one.

    BTW...did the new battery have a stamp or sticker that indicates its date of manufacture? Sometimes batteries can be sitting on the shelf for a long time...always check the date of mfg so that you get the freshest one on the shelf.

    FYI: if there's not a sticker or label with a mfg date...look for a alpha/numeric code stamped into the battery case. The first 2 digits should reveal the month and year of mfg. The first digit represents the MONTH of mfg...and should be an alpha character between A-M. The letter "I" is skipped due to it looking like the numeric digit "1")...with "A" representing the month January & "M" representing December. The second digit represents the YEAR of mfg.

    In the pic below (of an old battery that was replaced back in 2010 in my 540iT) you can see the alpha/numeric characters J4TG engraved into the battery case. This means that this battery was mfg'd in Sept/2004:

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  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
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    '99 323is, '00 323i 528i
    Turn your lights and radio on...what do they do when you try to crank it ? (do they blink and dim down as if there is a big current draw)
    Wondering if you are simply not getting power to the starter solenoid at all. (ie starter relay)

    Even if the new battery had dropped below 12v it should do "something".

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    2001 BMW 540i-sport
    Some things to consider other than what has already been posted is ignition lock operation may not be triggering the starter relay. Also be sure the battery connections are clean and tight. And, of course, the starter relay or wiring to it may be defective. If the lights dim slightly when trying to start it, the above arguments are not valid.

    larrym3711
    2001 540iA Sport

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    Portland, OR
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    1997 BMW 528i

    Talking Resolved!

    Gentlemen,

    First of all, I'd like to thank all of you for your help. It had urged me to further diagnose the issue.

    Got home from work today and for the first time in 3 days the sky cleared up and the rain stopped which gave me a chance to get under the car. The first step was to clear up the battery issue. The battery was manufactured in Dec of 2011. A friend came by and we removed it and took it back to the Parts House. They ran it through the load tester and it got a clean bill of health.

    We came back home and then re-checked the voltages while turning the key to start. The DMM and the in car display had the voltage dropping 0.2 volts when the key was turned. The lights did not dim at all.

    Next, I jacked up the car and slid under. 12.4v at the starter. I then attached the leads to the solenoid and got 11.4 volts when it was activated. This tipped me off that all the electronics in the car were working properly to start it.

    I then grabbed a half inch ratchet and thumped the solenoid casing several times. After a few slow cranks the car started! I was so happy to finally know what the problem was. I don't feel bad about buying a new batter when I didn't need one because the old one was due to be swapped out anyway.

    Since I don't really have the wrench time this week, I dropped it off at the mechanic's shop and saved the time having to get the thing towed. I'm also going to have them replace the valve cover gasket and spark plugs because I've had the parts for a month but simply didn't have the time.

    Again thank you all for your help and I'll try to repay the kindness with help on posts that I have the knowledge to help on.

    But back to my original question - What way in your opinion is the safest way to disconnect the battery? Should a settings keeper be used or not?

  13. #13
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by BeaverCountry View Post
    ...What way in your opinion is the safest way to disconnect the battery? Should a settings keeper be used or not?
    {thanks for posting back with the resolution to your problem...glad you got it sorted out. }

    There's absolutely nothing wrong or unsafe with the instructions BMW printed in the owners manual for battery removal & installation:


    If keeping your OBC/Clock settings is important to you (to some it is not)...then you can employ some type of gizmo to save them...like using one of those 9-volt battery thingys in the cig lighter...or something as simple as your battery charger hooked up to the jump start posts in the engine bay (use the lowest setting like 1 or 2 amps if you have a choice). You'll want to wrap the battery cable ends to make sure that they don't touch anything metal while you're swapping the battery since the car will still be powered.
    Last edited by Qsilver7; 05-24-2012 at 10:48 AM.
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    2015 650ix GC (Moonstone/Cohiba Brown) <<~>> 2014 X5 50i (Space Gray/Mocha)

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